Maximized Minimalist Podcast

📚 PRE-ORDER MY NEW BOOK
Making Home Your Happy Place: The Real-Life Guide to Decluttering Without the Overwhelm releases February 17th.
Pre-order now to receive exclusive bonus goodies — simple, supportive tools you can start using right away.
👉 Pre-Order wherever books are sold
🎯 TAKE THE FREE DECLUTTERING STYLE QUIZ
Discover your personal Decluttering Style and get a clear, realistic starting plan that actually fits your life.
👉 Take the free quiz
Don't Ruminate—Activate: 3 Real Stories That Prove Progress Comes From Doing Less (Not More)
If you've ever stood in a cluttered room thinking, "Where do I even start?"—or spiraled into "How did I let it get this bad?"—then you know what ruminating feels like.
And here's the truth I wish more women heard sooner:
You cannot think your way to motivation. You have to move your way there.
In today's episode, I'm sharing three stories from three women I've been working with recently—three completely different situations, three completely different "stuck points"… and one powerful thing in common:
They all made massive progress by doing less, not more.
Less planning. Less perfecting. Less waiting for the "right moment."
These women didn't magically get more time. They didn't suddenly become "disciplined." They didn't do a huge decluttering weekend.
They got unstuck by activating—one small decision, one tiny action, one real shift at a time.
And if you've been craving that kind of progress (the kind that actually sticks), this episode will light a fire in you.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:
1) Clutter is often doing a job—until you decide you're done hiding
Molly thought she had a "house problem," but she realized clutter had become a form of protection—a wall that kept people out. Her breakthrough wasn't a perfect plan… it was choosing connection before perfection. She started inviting people over before her home was "done," and the shame lost its grip.
2) If you're waiting to feel ready, you'll stay stuck—because discomfort is part of growth
Cassidy wasn't avoiding clutter—she was avoiding decisions. She overthought every move because she was terrified of regret, mistakes, or doing it "wrong." What changed everything was this simple reframe: Of course this feels uncomfortable… because I'm doing something different. She stopped perfecting, started making small decisions, and built trust in herself through action.
3) Systems don't work when clutter blocks them—and mental load grows when you're the only one who "knows where things go"
Kate felt like the gatekeeper of the entire house—she was the only one who could find anything, manage anything, put anything away. Her home didn't need more controlling—it needed fewer barriers. She cleared what was blocking a simple system (a filing cabinet), tested "good enough," and created a home that worked with her instead of against her. And one of the most powerful shifts? She stopped labeling every mess as failure and started distinguishing expected mess from clutter.
Ready to Simplify Even More? Start Here:
🗞️ Join the Ready, Set, Simplify Newsletter Over 35,000 women read it weekly for clutter-busting tips, tiny mindset shifts, and practical steps to simplify your home and your life. 👉 https://www.katyjoywells.com/simplify
🧡 Loved this episode? Join me inside the Clutter Cure Club — where we take conversations like this even deeper, and I help you simplify everything. 👉 https://www.katyjoywells.com/cluttercureclub-page837548
📲 Come Say Hi on Instagram Behind-the-scenes, real-life simplicity, and lots of laughs. 💛 @katyjoywells
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
If this episode helped you, I'd be so grateful if you'd take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps this show reach more women who need a simpler way forward. 💛

📚 PRE-ORDER MY NEW BOOK
Making Home Your Happy Place: The Real-Life Guide to Decluttering Without the Overwhelm releases February 17th.
Pre-order now to receive exclusive bonus goodies — simple, supportive tools you can start using right away.
👉 Pre-Order wherever books are sold
🎯 TAKE THE FREE DECLUTTERING STYLE QUIZ
Discover your personal Decluttering Style and get a clear, realistic starting plan that actually fits your life.
👉 Take the free quiz
If Decluttering Feels Like "One Step Forward, 18 Steps Back," You're Probably Only Tackling One Type of Clutter
Have you ever decluttered, felt AMAZING… and then somehow your home felt just as heavy again two days later?
Like you're doing the work, making progress, trying to find the "right system"… but it keeps turning into that exhausting cycle of forward → back → forward → back.
In this episode, I'm sharing the two shifts that completely changed my personal trajectory with decluttering—and finally gave me the progress I craved (and deserved).
The first is this: most of us only declutter the easy stuff. The obvious "donation bin" items. The broken things. The trash. The surface-level clutter.
And that's a great start… but it's only the bar in the squat rack.
Because if you never add weight, your home won't transform.
That's why we're diving into the four types of clutter—and what each one actually needs from you to move through it without shame, burnout, or that "what's wrong with me?" feeling.
If you're ready to understand why decluttering gets hard (and what to do when it does), this episode will unlock so much.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:
1) Most people only declutter superficial clutter—and that's why progress doesn't stick
Superficial clutter is the easy, obvious stuff: trash, expired pantry items, broken things, extras you don't need, stuff you forgot you even owned. It's an important starting point (hello, momentum!)… but if you stop there, you'll always feel like you're spinning your wheels because you never touch what's really weighing you down.
2) Decluttering is a life skill—you have to "add weight" to get transformation
Think of superficial clutter like squatting just the bar. Great for maintenance… but it won't change your home long-term. Real transformation happens when you build the skill to move through the deeper layers:
Scarcity clutter (fear + "just in case")

Sentimental clutter (memories + guilt + meaning)

Identity clutter (past self + future self + "who I thought I'd be")

When you learn how to handle all four, you stop yo-yo'ing and start getting real traction.
3) Each clutter type needs a different approach—so stop using one tool for every problem
This is the game-changer. If you keep trying to use "quick decisions + donation bin" for everything, you'll hit a wall.
Superficial clutter needs action + quick wins

Scarcity clutter needs you to address the fear underneath

Sentimental clutter needs time + gentleness (without guilt)

Identity clutter needs you to reconnect with who you are right now

When you match the right strategy to the right clutter type, you stop blaming yourself and start moving forward… fast.
Ready to Simplify Even More? Start Here:
🗞️ Join the Ready, Set, Simplify Newsletter Over 35,000 women read it weekly for clutter-busting tips, tiny mindset shifts, and practical steps to simplify your home and your life. 👉 https://www.katyjoywells.com/simplify
🧡 Loved this episode? Join me inside the Clutter Cure Club — where we take conversations like this even deeper, and I help you simplify everything. 👉 https://www.katyjoywells.com/cluttercureclub-page837548
📲 Come Say Hi on Instagram Behind-the-scenes, real-life simplicity, and lots of laughs. 💛 @katyjoywells
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
If this episode helped you, I'd be so grateful if you'd take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps this show reach more women who need a simpler way forward. 💛

📚 PRE-ORDER MY NEW BOOK
Making Home Your Happy Place: The Real-Life Guide to Decluttering Without the Overwhelm releases February 17th.
Pre-order now to receive exclusive bonus goodies — simple, supportive tools you can start using right away.
👉 Pre-Order wherever books are sold
🎯 TAKE THE FREE DECLUTTERING STYLE QUIZ
Discover your personal Decluttering Style and get a clear, realistic starting plan that actually fits your life.
👉 Take the free quiz
If you've ever looked around your home and thought, "Why does this feel like it's all on me?"—this episode is for you.
Because getting another adult in your home to care about clutter can feel…impossible. Maybe your partner genuinely doesn't notice it. Maybe they help, but you're still carrying most of the mental load. Maybe they're willing, but they don't know where to start. Or maybe it's not a partner at all—maybe it's a roommate, an older kid, or another adult sharing your space.
In this episode, I'm walking you through what didn't work for me (hinting, sighing, nagging, ultimatums…yep, I tried it all) and what finally did move the needle with my husband, Andrew.
We'll talk about the subtle shifts that create real buy-in—without turning your home into a battleground or you into the project manager nobody asked for.
If you're craving more shared responsibility and less resentment, this one will help you take the next right step—starting today.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:
1) Stop trying to make them care about clutter the way you do—help them feel the benefit instead
Most adults don't need to fall in love with donation bins or organizers to get on board. What they do care about is how the home feels: less friction, fewer arguments, easier routines, and the ability to actually relax at the end of the day. The breakthrough comes when they experience the difference—because showing is more powerful than telling.
2) Share your "big why" (without trying to convince them)
Sometimes your partner isn't resisting decluttering—they just don't understand what it's costing you. When you share what you're really craving on the other side (peace, ease, less anxiety, more time as a family), it often creates empathy…which creates support. And support can look like a lot of things: running donations, handling the kids while you declutter, or slowly joining you in shared spaces when they have capacity.
3) Design your home for follow-through (so it's easier for everyone to do the right thing)
What looks like "they don't care" is often just friction. Too many steps. No obvious home. Too much thinking required. So instead of arguing about behavior, adjust the environment:
keys keep landing on the counter → add a tray where they actually get dropped

shoes pile up by the door → put a basket right there

stuff keeps circulating → make a visible donation bin the default

When it's easy, it happens more—without willpower, nagging, or reminders.
Ready to Simplify Even More? Start Here:
🗞️ Join the Ready, Set, Simplify Newsletter Over 35,000 women read it weekly for clutter-busting tips, tiny mindset shifts, and practical steps to simplify your home and your life. 👉 https://www.katyjoywells.com/simplify
🧡 Loved this episode? Join me inside the Clutter Cure Club — where we take conversations like this even deeper, and I help you simplify everything. 👉 https://www.katyjoywells.com/cluttercureclub-page837548
📲 Come Say Hi on Instagram Behind-the-scenes, real-life simplicity, and lots of laughs. 💛 @katyjoywells
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
If this episode helped you, I'd be so grateful if you'd take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps this show reach more women who need a simpler way forward. 💛

📚 PRE-ORDER MY NEW BOOK
Making Home Your Happy Place: The Real-Life Guide to Decluttering Without the Overwhelm releases February 17th.
Pre-order now to receive exclusive bonus goodies — simple, supportive tools you can start using right away.
👉 Pre-Order wherever books are sold
🎯 TAKE THE FREE DECLUTTERING STYLE QUIZ
Discover your personal Decluttering Style and get a clear, realistic starting plan that actually fits your life.
👉 Take the free quiz
If you've ever felt like you're working twice as hard as everyone else just to keep your head above water… this episode is going to feel like a deep exhale.
Because when you're trying harder and harder—making more lists, getting more "disciplined," pushing yourself into new-year productivity mode—and it's still not working? That's not a character flaw. It's not laziness. And it's definitely not that you're "bad at adulthood."
In today's conversation, I'm joined by Brooke Schnitman, executive function coach and former special education teacher with 20+ years of experience helping adults with ADHD stop fighting their brains and start working with them. Brooke was diagnosed with ADHD at 35, so she understands this from the inside out—and she explains why willpower isn't the problem… regulation is.
We talk about the overwhelm/underwhelm cycle that keeps so many women stuck, how "all-or-nothing" thinking hijacks decluttering (and basically everything else), and the small, realistic shifts that help you build momentum—without burning out or spiraling into shame.
If decluttering (or even just managing life) feels harder than it "should," this episode will help you finally understand why… and what to do instead. 
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:
1) "Try harder" backfires because ADHD isn't an effort problem—it's a regulation problem
Brooke explains how ADHD brains can't reliably access willpower the same way, especially under stress. When you push harder, your nervous system floods, executive function shuts down, and the shame spiral kicks in.
2) Underwhelm can be just as paralyzing as overwhelm—and it's sneakier
Overwhelm looks like "too much." But underwhelm looks like "I'm bored, stuck, scrolling, restless… and I don't know why I can't start." Brooke shares how ADHD brains need the right level of stimulation to initiate action.
3) Momentum comes from tiny wins (the "1% step"), not marathon motivation
One small action creates a dopamine hit → which creates more action → which creates momentum → which creates confidence. You don't need a perfect plan. You need a next step you can actually do—and ideally, accountability to help you do it.
Mentioned In This Episode
Coaching with Brooke: https://www.coachingwithbrooke.com/
Get Brooke's Book: https://www.coachingwithbrooke.com/activatebook
Brooke's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachingwithbrooke/
Ready to Simplify Even More? Start Here:
🗞️ Join the Ready, Set, Simplify Newsletter Over 35,000 women read it weekly for clutter-busting tips, tiny mindset shifts, and practical steps to simplify your home and your life. 👉 https://www.katyjoywells.com/simplify
🧡 Loved this episode? Join me inside the Clutter Cure Club — where we take conversations like this even deeper, and I help you simplify everything. 👉 https://www.katyjoywells.com/cluttercureclub-page837548
📲 Come Say Hi on Instagram Behind-the-scenes, real-life simplicity, and lots of laughs. 💛 @katyjoywells
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
If this episode helped you, I'd be so grateful if you'd take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps this show reach more women who need a simpler way forward. 💛

📚 PRE-ORDER MY NEW BOOK
Making Home Your Happy Place: The Real-Life Guide to Decluttering Without the Overwhelm releases February 17th.
Pre-order now to receive exclusive bonus goodies — simple, supportive tools you can start using right away.
👉 Pre-Order wherever books are sold
🎯 TAKE THE FREE DECLUTTERING STYLE QUIZ
Discover your personal Decluttering Style and get a clear, realistic starting plan that actually fits your life.
👉 Take the free quiz
When Decluttering Feels Impossible, It's Probably Decision Fatigue (Not Laziness)
Have you ever started decluttering with good intentions… and then your brain just shuts down? You're staring at a pile thinking, "Why can't I just make a decision?" and suddenly everything feels hard — even the easy stuff.
Most women assume they're unmotivated or undisciplined. But I want to offer a kinder explanation: your brain didn't run out of willpower — it ran out of decision-making energy.
In today's episode, I walk you through what decision fatigue actually is, why it hits so fast during decluttering, and three simple strategies you can use to prevent that "stuck" feeling before it starts — or get yourself unstuck when you're already in it.
January tends to bring fresh motivation… and also a lot of pressure. More goals, more tasks, more decisions, more everything. If you're already carrying a full mental load, decluttering can be the thing that pushes your brain over the edge.
This episode will help you work with your brain instead of fighting it — so you can make steady progress without burnout, overwhelm, or the "I'll just do it later" spiral.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:
Start with the no-brainers to build momentum Begin with superficial clutter — the items you already know you don't want (stained, broken, uncomfortable, mismatched). Quick wins give your brain proof and momentum before you tackle the "maybe" pile.

Give your brain one job at a time Decision fatigue gets worse when you keep switching gears. Choose one category or one question (like "Is this functional and usable?") and repeat it — your brain can handle rhythm far better than constant mental toggling.

Use scripts so you don't negotiate with yourself Open-ended questions lead to spiraling when you're tired. A simple pre-decided script gives structure and keeps you moving—especially with scarcity clutter, sentimental items, or aspirational "future self" pieces.

Use these strategies proactively and reactively Start your session with them to prevent shutdown — and if you hit a wall mid-declutter, switch back to no-brainers, narrow your job, or pull out a script to get moving again.

Progress comes from steadiness, not marathons You don't need to finish the whole closet today. You need a method that helps you stay clear-headed long enough to make consistent decisions — one small set at a time.

decisions easier.

Ready to Simplify Even More? Start Here:
🗞️ Join the Ready, Set, Simplify Newsletter Over 35,000 women read it weekly for clutter-busting tips, tiny mindset shifts, and practical steps to simplify your home and your life. 👉 https://www.katyjoywells.com/simplify
🧡 Loved this episode? Join me inside the Clutter Cure Club — where we take conversations like this even deeper, and I help you simplify everything. 👉 https://www.katyjoywells.com/cluttercureclub-page837548
📲 Come Say Hi on Instagram Behind-the-scenes, real-life simplicity, and lots of laughs. 💛 @katyjoywells
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
If this episode helped you, I'd be so grateful if you'd take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps this show reach more women who need a simpler way forward. 💛